With This Ring
by Jaggie 107
Summary: HM fluff something else I wrote a while back.


Title : With This Ring  
  
Author : Jaggie 107  
  
Disclaimer : JAG characters belong to DPB, CBS and Paramount. I hope all parties will allow me to have a little fun for a little while, and replace them all when I'm done. Thank you.  
  
Rating : PGish  
  
Summary : H/M fluff; something else I wrote a while back.  
  
Author's Note 1 : If you want to review, please do!   
  
2 : Symbols denote words in italics.  
  
JAG HEADQUARTERS, FALLS CHURCH, 1000 HOURS LOCAL  
  
"Colonel, walk with me." AJ Chegwidden spoke to his Chief-of-Staff as they crossed paths in the bullpen. Mac snapped to and issued a crisp 'Aye, sir!' as she handed off a stack of files to Harriet Sims and followed the Admiral. Harriet gave her a puzzled look, but Mac shrugged her shoulders, out of the line of sight of the Admiral, who spoke again.  
  
"Colonel, have you spoken to Com... I mean Mr Rabb, at all recently?"  
  
"Er... no, sir. He... we... aren't in touch these days."  
  
"Not at all?" AJ was astounded. The relationship between his two senior lawyers had improved greatly over the past year and so now this separation of sorts was unexpected. AJ watched as Mac shook her head slightly.  
  
"Certain things changed while we were in Paraguay, sir, and following his departure fro JAG we had no reason to be in contact. Besides which, he's married now, albeit in name only."  
  
"Married? Rabb? No, he isn't."  
  
"Sir, he told me himself."  
  
"Did he tell you why?"   
  
"Yes, sir. To help a friend."  
  
"Indeed, he did do that. But trust me, Colonel, it isn't a real marriage."  
  
"I know that it's in name only, but nonetheless, it happened."  
  
"Mac, what happened was Bud borrowed Harriet's ring, used a wedding service for same-sex couples off the internet, and made a dying woman very happy."  
  
"He's... he's not really married?" Mac paled visibly, and AJ walked through into his office, his hand on Mac's shoulder guiding her in before him.  
  
"No, he isn't."  
  
"Then why wouldn't he tell me?"  
  
"Did you give him a chance?"  
  
"Sir, I... no, I guess I didn't. He made me so angry - he gave up the Navy, sir! For what?"  
  
"For you, Mac. For the love of you!" AJ pointed to a chair and Mac dropped into it unceremoniously, as he positioned himself against his desk, facing her.  
  
"You don't know that, sir," Mac protested.  
  
"Yes I do. I asked him what he was going to do once he found you, and he said that he didn't honestly know, but that he knew he loved you."  
  
"Oh, dear God. I threw it all back at him! I told him I didn't need him anymore, and I played up to Clayton to tick him off."  
  
"That would certainly annoy him, I'm sure. Perhaps I could contact his mother. I'm sure Trish would have an idea of his whereabouts. Although, now he's CIA, maybe Webb knows..."  
  
"No, sir, he doesn't. I... I've already asked, sir."  
  
"You have?" AJ was intrigued. "Really? Interesting fact, Colonel. Well, for the time being we will shelve this matter, but I will come back to it. In the meantime, we have a new officer, a Captain, arriving later today. He will have the spare office."  
  
Mac glanced at the Admiral in shock. "But that's..." she started.  
  
"You have an objection, Colonel?"  
  
"No, sir. Sorry, sir."  
  
"I'm sure you will welcome the Captain to our family."  
  
"Yes, sir, of course."  
  
"Dismissed."  
  
"Aye, sir."  
  
JAG HEADQUARTERS, FALLS CHURCH, 1400 HOURS LOCAL  
  
Mac had taken her lunch while on a visit to a client, so she was late into the office for the start of the afternoon. It was her intention to avoid the new Captain until called by the Admiral to meet him - or maybe she just didn't want to be near Harm's room; it was still his!" Mac sighed as she stepped out of the elevator and walked around the edge of the bullpen and into her office. As she dropped the files in her arms onto her desk and put her briefcase on the floor, she happened to look up. The Admiral was outside his office, talking to a man in Navy blues who stood at ease, clearly showing the four rings on the cuffs, denoting the rank of Captain. With his cover in place, and his face averted, hidden by Petty Officer Coates' as she stood to attention, Mac shook her head. Get a grip, Marine. Not every dark-haired, tall male is Harm. A second glance showed the man following the Admiral into his office, and Petty Officer Coates coming towards her office.  
  
"Ma'am, the Admiral..." Coates coughed and raised her hand to cover her mouth. Mac could have sworn she was smiling behind her hand.  
  
"The Admiral...?" Mac prompted, waiting.  
  
"Sorry, Colonel, ma'am. A tickle, in my throat."  
  
"Take some water, Jen."  
  
"Yes, ma'am. Thank you. The Admiral would like you to join him in his office."  
  
"Is the Commander there?" Mac bent down to retrieve her cover from her desk - it was expected of her to be formal to meet the new Captain - and missed Jennifer Coates' look of horror.  
  
"Commander, ma'am?" she managed to ask.  
  
"Commander Turner, Jen. Who else do you think I... " Mac stopped, her face blanched, and she dropped into her chair. Coates moved around the desk, worried by the look on Mac's face.  
  
"Mac? Ma'am, please, you're scaring me... are you okay?"  
  
"I... he..." Mac couldn't string a few words together to save her life at that moment. Coates caught Harriet Sims' eye at the same time and she almost ran to Mac's office.  
  
"Close the door, Jen, and the blinds. Quick!" Harriet issued instructions even as she moved towards Mac. "I knew we should have told you earlier, Mac..." muttered Harriet, but Mac was still pale, and still speechless. "Jen, please, before they come looking, tell the Admiral that the Colonel had to... er... go out on an emergency. Tell him she'll be back ASAP."  
  
"But what emergency?" Coates asked worriedly.  
  
"I don't know! Think of something!"  
  
"Aye, ma'am." Coates took another quick look at Mac and fled her office.  
  
At the knock on his door, AJ Chegwidden spoke without looking up. "Come in, Colonel... oh, Coates, what is it? I was expecting Colonel Mackenzie." AJ, Sturgis and the Captain all looked at Coates, who did Harriet proud in the next few seconds.  
  
"Sir, Colonel Mackenzie sends her apologies but she has been called out on an emergency."  
  
"Really?" AJ glanced out of his window and saw that Mac's gleaming red Corvette sat in its usual place; nothing amiss there. "I see. Thank you, Coates. When the Colonel gets back, ask her to come see me - ASAP!"  
  
"Yes, sir. Of course, sir." Coates turned to leave the office, and the four men inside. As she closed the door behind her, it was opened again, by the Captain.  
  
"Jen, my office, two minutes."  
  
"Yes, sir." Coates nodded, making her way even as the Captain excused himself and went to his office and closed the door behind him.  
  
"Okay, Jen, out with it. Mac's holed up in her office, isn't she?"  
  
"Sir, she... I... Harriet's in there too."  
  
"So what's going on? How did she find out I was here?"  
  
"Comm... I mean, Captain Rabb, sir..."  
  
"Jen, it's still me, Harm. I know a hell of a lot of stuff has happened, but I'm still Harm Rabb Junior."  
  
"Yes, sir. Harm," Jen looked up at Harm. "Mac needs you; you've got to go over there, sir. We'll cover for you, Harriet and me... I mean I."  
  
"To hell with regs, and me just back at JAG?" Harm laughed. "This really will tick off the Admiral."  
  
"Technically, sir, you're not in his chain of command any more. I mean, you're back here, but your point of order is from the Pentagon. Isn't it, sir?"  
  
Harm looked at Coates as though she suddenly had a light bulb suspended over her head. "You are a genius, Jen!" Bending to drop a quick kiss on Coates' cheek, Harm opened his office door and strode across the bullpen to Mac's office. Harriet opened the door, exchanged a quick smile, and crossed her fingers. As with Coates, Harm dropped a kiss on Harriet's forehead and mouthed Thank you to her as she left him alone with Mac.  
  
"I'd forgotten how beautiful you are," he murmured softly, watching Mac's reaction to his words as her head came up.  
  
"We did this already, in Paraguay."  
  
"I know. You still take my breath away, and I don't ever want to forget again. This is the last time I leave you."  
  
"You're not with me," Mac pointed out in a monotone.  
  
"Yes I am. I am always with you, Mac, as you are always with me."  
  
"Pretty words."  
  
"Yes, and they speak volumes."  
  
"But not this time. Where have you been?" Mac asked bluntly.  
  
"Cuba, mostly. Beth and I have had a job down there. Now that it's over we can return to our regular lives."  
  
"Beth? Regular lives? If she's the one you're with now, you'd better get back to her."  
  
"Mac, it's Beth O'Neal. As in the fraternisation harassment case. As in partners with same sex."  
  
"You mean she's a lesbian?"   
  
Harm nodded, and Mac dredged up a slight smile.  
  
"I bet that put a dent in your ego, Sailor." Nicknames - this was a good sign!  
  
"Not really. I already knew about her," Harm admitted.  
  
"Of course," Mac nodded. "I always wondered about what you and Tracey had kept to yourselves after the trial."   
  
"Attorney-client privilege." Harm smiled.  
  
"So why are you back in uniform. You quit the Navy to look for me."  
  
"I did, Sarah."  
  
"And you found me."  
  
"I did," Harm acknowledged.  
  
"And now you've found me again."  
  
"I have. I just need to let you know now that I'm not letting you go. Ever."  
  
"Ever is eternity, Harm."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What about Catherine?"  
  
"What about Clay?" Harm countered, smiling, knowing that there was nothing between Mac and Clay, except friendship and gratitude.  
  
"I think they'll make a wonderful couple," Mac mused, as she got to her feet. What about us, Harm? You're back here, and we still have regulations."  
  
"Yes, I am - and we do."  
  
"So nothing changes."  
  
"Everything changes, Sarah." Harm moved from the door to where Mac stood. " I. Love. You." The words came out as clear as the ting of a silver fork on crystal.  
  
Mac's eyes widened, her gaze fixed on Harm.  
  
"I love you, too. I think I always have, I just didn't know it back then. I didn't dare acknowledge it, until I blurted it out to Sturgis..."  
  
"You did? And he never told me?" Harm grinned.  
  
"On pain of a ticked Marine, he daren't," Mac replied, smiling.  
  
"That would certainly shut him up," Harm agreed, knowing as well as Mac did that Sturgis's silence came from respect for Mac rather than any fear of retribution.  
  
"So. We love each other. We're here in the same room. The blinds and the door are closed."  
  
"And locked," added Harm, as he turned the lock on the door behind him.  
  
"... and locked," breathed Mac as she realised the implication of his actions.   
  
They both saw in each other's eyes the fading fear and growing hope that this was finally their time. Mac had one more question.  
  
"Chain of command?"  
  
"Different. Yours, the Admiral; mine, the SECNAV."  
  
As Mac digested this revelation Harm moved to pull her into his arms, and Mac went willingly.  
  
"This time we made it..." Harm murmured, his eyes glittering.  
  
Mac laughed huskily. "There's a song there, somewhere."  
  
"Our song," agreed Harm, as their lips met. They had shared kisses before, but this one was different. It was a closing of a chapter of their lives, and an opening to their future.  
  
When they finally broke for air Mac buried her flushed face on Harm's chest, her hand over his fast-beating heart. "Harm, what will the Admiral say? I disobeyed an order to come to his office."  
  
"And had a subordinate to lie for you, too," Harm added for good measure. At Mac's puzzled look he smiled and continued. "Jen told him that you'd had an emergency out of the office."  
  
"My car..." Mac was aware that her car could be seen from the Admiral's office, and so he would have known she was still in the building.  
  
"You're going to need a lawyer to get you out of this one, Colonel."  
  
"Man, and what does my lawyer plan as my defense?"  
  
"Mitigating circumstances."  
  
"Such as?"  
  
"Such as, will you marry me, Sarah?"  
  
"Yes!" There was no ceremony, no bended knee - no way was Mac letting Harm go now!   
  
"So, now we're almost married," Harm dropped a kiss on Mac's forehead, "...we'll need a sign to show the Admiral. He isn't going to accept word of mouth."  
  
"What do you have in mind, Sailor?"  
  
"We need a ring." Harm looked around Mac's desk, his eyes falling on her jar of elastic bands. Mac followed his gaze and laughed out loud.  
  
"That would work," she nodded. Harm smiled at her.  
  
"Um, yes, it would," he agreed, "... but I have a better idea. So would this," he added, and he pulled a small leather box from his pocket and handed it to Mac. Her fingers trembled as she looked at the soft, worn leather, and then up at Harm.  
  
"Open it, sweetheart," he encouraged, and Mac did just that, lifting the lid to reveal a ring with a tiny solitaire mounted at its centre. Its beauty was in the simplicity of the stone, and the obvious age. "This was the ring that my grandfather and father gave to their brides-to-be. That someday we can give to our son to give to his bride."  
  
"Oh, yes!" Even as Harm placed the cool metal on her finger, Mac could see another dark-haired man with his father's eyes and smile placing the ring on the finger of a yet-unknown young woman.  
  
"Hey, Marine, where are you?" Harm asked softly.  
  
"Watching our son pass on this ring to his bride-to-be," Mac replied.  
  
"My Sarah, I love you." Harm held her left hand in his and raised it to his lips.  
  
"I love you too, Harm."  
  
Meanwhile, in the Admiral's office, friends were congratulating each other on a job well done. A wedding was being planned, followed by a baby shower in the not-too-distant future! And an Admiral was sending a silent prayer of thanks to 'The Powers That Be' that he would be retaining the services of his two top lawyers.  
  
THE END 


End file.
